Are you struggling with a morning routine and feeling hectic and out of control? These tips for a smooth morning will keep your family on track!

Read a piece of advice from my friend and teacher. Here’s what she has to say:

I’ve been there! My oldest daughter started high school on Monday. I remember so clearly her first week of kindergarten. I think I made multiple trips to the school every day that week because of something we had forgotten. We forgot homework, lunch, and PE clothes. I was the first of my friends to have kids and I wish someone had sat me down and told me that with just a few changes, my days would be much easier.

I read every parenting magazine I could and pieced together helpful hints that we’ve stuck with over the years.

1. Backpacks on the bench – Before any electronic time, my kids must have all homework done, all papers signed, and their backpacked zipped and ready to go on our kitchen bench.

2. Lunch already made – Before bed, the kids must have their school lunch made and in the refrigerator. (Did I say I made their lunch? No. They make their lunch. It is one of the things we have decided as a family that they should be responsible for.)

3. Little ones sleep in their clothes – This one has been controversial among friends. Some little ones are very used to sleeping in pajamas every night. But, if you have a little one that likes to do fifteen outfit changes in the morning, this just may be a lifesaver. After about a week, they didn’t even notice that they were sleeping in daytime clothes. They would wake up, come to breakfast, and the outfit changes were a memory of the past.

4. Breakfast is simple – Each morning, I give the kids three choices – toast/bagel, cut up fruit, or cereal. That’s it. Nothing fancy, but enough so that I am sure that they aren’t going to be hungry before lunch. We have a nice, big breakfast on the weekends. Now, if you are the mom that can make perfect waffles with maple syrup before 6:30 am, then you rock! That is amazing. That is not me. So our breakfast is simple.